Preakness Stakes Betting Odds - Bet Preakness Horses

Preakness Stakes Second Leg of the Triple Crown

The second jewel of the Triple Crown is the Preakness Stakes, held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby at the Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore, Maryland.

Preakness Stakes trophy

The original Woodlawn Vase, the trophy awarded to the winner of the Preakness Stakes trophy (but not meant to be kept), measures 34 inches in height and weighs 29 pounds, 12 ounces, was created by Tiffany and Company in 1860 for R. Aitcheson Alexander and remains in the Baltimore Museum of Art. A half-sized reproduction of the Woodlawn Vase is now awarded to the owner of the Preakness winner on a permanent basis.

Rumor has it that the Woodlawn Vase spent the Civil War years buried to avoid being stolen or used for its valuable metal properties by Union and Confederate soldiers.

Come bet on the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico racetrack and watch your favorite horse win at the Preakness. The second of the prestigious Triple Crown races, the 135th Preakness Stakes will continue its legacy as one of the word's finest horse races. But the early contender odds are hard to come by, so stop horsing around and get your Preakness stakes horse betting lines at Bookmaker Racebook.

The Preakness Stakes horse betting has been a part of the horse racing since, the gates opened for its first race, all the way back in the year 1873. Three-year-old thoroughbreds have been making the journey to Maryland for the Preakness Stakes on the third Saturday in May annually ever since Survivor won the pot in the first race. The Preakness Stakes has seen prize money skyrocket as fast as the attendance in recent years.

Horse racing is the sport of kings, so feel like a king for a day and bet Pimlico horse track for one of the most prestigious horse races of the year. Picking a pony to wager on always makes things a bit more interesting. But even if you're not the betting type, you'll get drawn into the excitement as the horses round the turn and come down the stretch. See if the pony you picked will be wearing the famous black eyed Susans.

Preakness Stakes History

Like a lot of names throughout America, the name Preakness is derived from Native American culture. A northern New Jersey band of Indians called the Minisi labeled their area Pra-qua-les, meaning "quail woods." After some inventive respellings, the name evolved into Preakness. One variation of the name was Preckiness, used by General George Washington to describe where his troops were stationed during the 1776-77 winter. Milton Sanford, who we saw earlier in connection with the Dinner Party Stakes, called his farms (he had one in New Jersey and one in Kentucky) Preakness.

Oddly enough, his New Jersey farm was located in the Indians' "quail woods," and there remains today a Preakness, New Jersey. Sanford, without much regard, purchased a yearling that was bred in Kentucky's Woodburn Farm, the eighth foal of a horse named Bay Leaf, for $2,000. He named it Preakness. Needless to say, it was this horse that as a three-year old went on to win the Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico's inaugural in 1870. That was the horses only race of 1870, although he did continue to race through his eight-year old season, even winning races at that age.

In 1873, the Maryland Jockey Club honored him by calling its newest stakes race "Preakness," while the Dinner Party Stakes evolved into the present-day Dixie Handicap. After his eighth year of racing Sanford sent Preakness to England, where he was eventually purchased by the Duke of Hamilton. Yet like most of us, Preakness developed a temper in old age and became tough to handle. But unlike most of us, Preakness was shot and killed by his owner the Duke of Hamilton, who apparently had also grown a tad irritable. So, the legacy of Preakness is twofold: one, he supplied the name for the second jewel of the Triple Crown, and two, he touched off a reform in English law which governed the handling of animal.

Preakness Stakes Facts

Pimlico Race Course, home of the Preakness Stakes, first opened its doors on October 25, 1870, making it the second oldest racetrack in the nation behind Saratoga. It is also one of the biggest locations for horse betting in America.

Pimlico Race Course is constructed on 70 acres west of the Jones Falls, Maryland. The Maryland Jockey Club purchased the land for $23,500 and built the racetrack for $25,000.

Pimlico has played host to racing icons for over a century, where Baltimoreans have seen the likes of legendary horses such as Man o’ War, Sir Barton, Seabiscuit, War Admiral, Citation, Secretariat and
Cigar thunder down the stretch in thrilling and memorable competition.

2008 Preakness Stakes Winner

The Belmont Stakes will be run June 7. It's been three decades since Affirmed swept that race along with the Derby and Preakness to give racing its 11th Triple Crown winner.

Big Brown paid $2.40, $2.60 and $2.40. Macho Again returned $17.20 and $10.40, while Icabad Crane paid $5.60 to Show.

PREAKNESS STAKES WINNERS

YEAR WINNER JOCKEY

2010 Lookin at Lucky Martin Garcia
2009 Rachel Alexandra Calvin Borel
2008 Big Brown Kent Desormeaux
2007 Curlin Robby Albarado
2006 Bernardini Javier Castellano
2005 Afleet Alex Jeremy Rose
2004 Smarty Jones S. Elliott
2003 Funny Cide J. Santos
2002 War Emblem V. Espinoza
2001 Point Given G. Stevens
2000 Red Bullet J. Bailey
1999 Charismatic C. Antley
1998 Real Quiet K. Desormeaux
1997 Silver Charm G. Stevens
1996 Louis Quatorze P. Day
1995 Timber Country P. Dayy
1994 Tabasco Cat P. Day

In 2011 you will be able to bet on Preakness Stakes with our recommended race books